1
2
as in to shift
to change one's position
the cat stirred, then opened its eyes and slowly got to its feet
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to provoke
to rouse to strong feeling or action
news coverage of the fire stirred many to send donations to a fund for the families who had lost their homes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in commotion
a state of noisy, confused activity
the plane's first jolt caused a stir among the passengers, and by the third one they were in a panic
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in shifting
the act or an instance of changing position
we were warned that the slightest stir would scare the mother bird so we hardly dared to breathe
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as in jail
a place of confinement for persons held in lawful custody
the mule had just got out of stir and was being followed by the feds, who had their sights set on the kingpin of the operation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of stir
Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Feb. 2026
The message stirred something in people well beyond the sports world.
—Rebecca Shore Winn, Southern Living, 18 Feb. 2026
Usa Today Network, USA Today, 11 Feb. 2026
Off the heat stir in green portions of green onions and beef.
—Cathy Thomas, Oc Register, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stir
Verb
In a small bowl stir together sugar and cinnamon.
—Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Feb. 2026
The message stirred something in people well beyond the sports world.
—Rebecca Shore Winn, Southern Living, 18 Feb. 2026
Noun
Using fresh ingredients and whole spices, from his signature butter chicken and mango curry to a Thai-Indo fusion chicken stir fry, paired perfectly with his homemade chai or mango lassi.
—Usa Today Network, USA Today, 11 Feb. 2026
Off the heat stir in green portions of green onions and beef.
—Cathy Thomas, Oc Register, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stir
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stir
Verb
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Previously, the controversy swirling around Mountbatten-Windsor centered on the accusations of Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who alleged that Epstein trafficked her to his powerful friends, including the former prince.—
Nick Duffy,
NBC news,
20 Feb. 2026
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Active supermassive black holes greedily feast on matter from a surrounding swirling cloud called an accretion disk.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The tobacco trials — which took place over decades but began to shift in favor of plaintiffs in the ’90s — similarly saw various types of plaintiffs file a wave of lawsuits, contributing to the release of internal documents and testing new legal theories.—
Clare Duffy,
CNN Money,
22 Feb. 2026
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The staff welcomed me immediately, opening the doors with genuine warmth that shifted my mood entirely.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Feb. 2026
Verb
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For the Mexican government, the battle against the cartels risks provoking violence across the country, as gang members retaliate against the security forces and battle each other.—
Tim Lister,
CNN Money,
23 Feb. 2026
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The play spoke eloquently to its own time but continued to provoke and inform in subsequent generations.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
22 Feb. 2026
Verb
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And don’t forget to wash everything down with El SIboney’s dangerously potent sangria.—
Taylor Tobin,
Southern Living,
18 Feb. 2026
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Hundreds of residents in Tangerang, a city outside the capital, Jakarta, flock to the Cisadane River to wash their hair with rice straw shampoo and welcome the fasting month with a symbolic spiritual cleansing.—
Mariam Fam,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Montage founder, Alan Fuerstman, personally moves into every new property for its first month of operations to ensure the brand’s signature five-star service is up to snuff.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
20 Feb. 2026
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The players could feel the former United and Wales winger starting to move up the gears.—
Andy Mitten,
New York Times,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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There are more than 150 miles of tunnels across nine underground levels, and guests are encouraged to lick the walls.—
Maureen O'Hare,
CNN Money,
21 Feb. 2026
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Virgo The Saturn-Neptune conjunction occurs in your eighth house of intimacy, intimate bonds, and shared resources, encouraging you to grapple with boundaries and limitations tied to your closest relationships.—
Maressa Brown,
InStyle,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Allow this to cool for 5 minutes, then whisk in unsweetened cocoa powder, crème de cassis liqueur, and pure vanilla extract.—
Karla Walsh,
Better Homes & Gardens,
22 Feb. 2026
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Under normal circumstances, Underwood would have whisked Harper over to the pediatric emergency room that is part of Broward Health Medical Center, about three miles away from their home in Fort Lauderdale.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Varying grips, angles and equipment can also help stimulate different portions of the muscle and reduce plateaus.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
19 Feb. 2026
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Lemon water may help digestion by stimulating the release of stomach acid.—
Sarah Bence,
Verywell Health,
19 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stir.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stir. Accessed 24 Feb. 2026.
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